


The Power Struggle

by BuckinghamAlice



Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
Genre: Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Partners to Lovers, Partnership, Serious Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-15
Updated: 2015-09-15
Packaged: 2018-04-20 21:19:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4802567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BuckinghamAlice/pseuds/BuckinghamAlice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A few scenes from Illya and Napoleon's burgeoning relationship.  In other words, I got three separate tumblr prompts that kind of work together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I don’t notice.

Illya sat in his nicely appointed hotel room and quietly sipped the drink he had just poured himself. One more successful mission complete… and they were leaving in the morning to find the next one. He let his head drift back and might even have closed his eyes, had he not heard the knock at his door.

He went to the door and found Solo on the other side. They had yet to even begin the conversation, and already the American had a smug look on his face. There had to be a name for that skill.

Illya simply motioned for him to come in and politely offered, “A drink?”

Solo shook his head. “Won't be necessary, Peril. I feel that we need to talk… and you might put _your_ drink down because I'd like all your wits about you when you hear this.”

Illya regarded him skeptically, but he had to admit (to himself, and never out loud) that he was intrigued. He set his drink down and said, “Sounds serious.”

“It is,” Solo replied calmly. “It's this partnership. I think we should reassess it.”

Illya raised an eyebrow. “Why is that, Cowboy?”

“Because I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I don’t notice,” he replied casually. “And quite frankly, I...”

Illya shook his head. “Wait, how is it you think I look at you?”

Solo flashed another smug smile and came a step closer. “Like you're mentally undressing me and mentally bending me over… and surely you see where this is leading.”

Illya was stunned by the forwardness. He looked his partner over and shook his head. He had certainly never entertained such thoughts. He didn't have the time for dirty fantasies. Although he'd be lying if he said he hadn't noticed that Napoleon Solo was infuriatingly attractive… and he wouldn't mind finding out how those pretty features looked when he was channeling all his energy into a passionate encounter.

But still, he hardly knew what to say. Instead of trying to be witty or clever, he simply asked, “You were going to say something else… quite frankly you what, Cowboy?”

Solo inched closer and gently brushed his hand across Illya's chest, leaving his skin warm under the cloth of the sweater he wore. “Quite frankly, Peril, I'm ready to stop pretending I haven't been looking at you the same way.”

For a moment, they locked eyes and were both very quiet. Napoleon licked his lips and kept his hand on Illya's chest, and Illya realized two things – his pulse was quickening, and all of these things were signs. Without any further hesitation, he leaned in closer and pressed a soft kiss to his partner's lips. He wasn't sure what he was expecting – fireworks, maybe? – but instead he felt very comfortable. It was a beautiful feeling.

But then Solo, _his_ Cowboy, deepened the kiss… and there was all the heat he had imagined, but the level of comfort remained. To say Illya enjoyed it would be an understatement.

Things moved quickly from there, and Illya had no regrets. “You were right, Cowboy,” he murmured later, his face nuzzling into Napoleon's dark curls as they cuddled and basked in afterglow. “I _was_ looking at you like that.”


	2. Is there a reason you’re naked in my bed?

Illya had wanted nothing more than to get into bed when he got back to his hotel room, as he'd had a very long day and he was looking forward to finally relaxing. He unlocked his door and stepped into his room, not even bothering to turn on a light. He hastily kicked off his shoes and stripped down to his underwear and dropped onto the bed.

It was then that he heard an annoyed sigh.

Quickly he sat up and flicked on the lamp on his bedside table. Next to him in bed was Napoleon Solo, naked as the day he was born, laying on his side and flashing the most infuriating smile.

“Solo!?” Illya demanded.

“Hello,” he replied calmly. Still smiling. Making no moves to cover himself. Illya wondered if he had somehow managed to go to the wrong room, but that couldn't be. His key wouldn't have worked. Clearly Solo had come to the wrong room… and broken in. 

“Is there a reason you’re naked in my bed?” Illya demanded.

Napoleon nodded. “There is.”

Illya sighed loudly. “And that would be?”

“It's been a week since you last invited me into your bed, so I invited myself,” Napoleon reasoned. “A man has needs. You need to be mindful of that, Peril.”

Illya sighed. It wasn't as if they were dating… a few times they had used each other for stress relief or to celebrate the end of a mission. And it had only been a week… but previous experience had taught him that his Cowboy was an insatiable one.

“I'm tired now,” Illya reasoned. “Sleep now, meet needs in the morning.”

Napoleon began to protest. “But...”

“In the morning, Cowboy,” Illya said, his voice gentle this time. He turned the light off and relaxed back onto the bed. After a moment, he rolled onto his side, and felt Napoleon snuggle up closer. 

Illya held Napoleon close, realizing there were perks to letting his partner have his way. “You are terrible,” he cooed softly. “I hope you know this.”

“I do,” Napoleon replied. “But I also know it works for me, so I'm not worried about it.”

And Illya couldn't argue with that logic.


	3. If you die, I’m gonna kill you.

Illya's brows were furrowed deeply in concentration. The way he and Napoleon had entered the building was now being heavily guarded, some partners to the agents that were currently pursuing them. Staying put wasn't an option, and the only other exit was an air duct too tight for two people to pass at once. And with Napoleon in this condition, Illya wasn't sure how far he could carry himself.

He had been shot and had lost a lot of blood. He was weak, but he wasn't unconscious yet… though he seemed to be heading that way.

But they couldn't stay where they were… it was too dangerous. With a sigh, Illya turned to the man who was now his partner in more ways than one and tried to prop him up. “Come on, Cowboy,” he said softly. “Your friends are on our tails.”

Napoleon put his arm around Illya's shoulder, wincing from the pain, and said, “You should go. I won't slow you down.”

“And I won't leave you,” Illya growled. “If you can't walk, I will carry you.”

Napoleon shook his head. “I'll slow you down… no reason they should take us both out.”

“No, Cowboy,” Illya growled. Without waiting for Napoleon to say anything more, Illya scooped him up and tossed him unceremoniously over his shoulder and hoped he wasn't hurting him by being rough. But they had to get out of there… both of them or neither of them, not just one.

“Peril...” Napoleon groaned.

Illya ran to the air duct and ripped the grate off. “You have to crawl now,” he said as he pushed Napoleon in. “Go, because if you die, I’m gonna kill you.”

Napoleon grumbled and began to drag himself along, Illya right on his heel. When they finally reached the other end of the duct and found their way outside of the building, before they were even assured of their safety, Illya pulled Napoleon into his arms and hugged him tightly.

“You'd have been devastated to lose me,” Napoleon said weakly, still managing to look smug.

Illya nuzzled him. “Shut up, Cowboy… or I'll shove you back in the little tunnel.”

“All talk,” Napoleon sighed as Illya scooped him up again and ran for their car, and finally to safety.


End file.
